Dancing Around The Truth
by Pengu2510
Summary: James Potter asks Lily to dance during an extravegent ball at Hogwarts. Banter and the occasional burst of honesty ensues.


Lily Evans knew she looked pretty. She had enchanted her red, usually unruly hair to twist into sleek curls and had dabbed on eye makeup to enhance her green eyes. With the help of her long emerald dress paired a dazzling silver belt, she felt very pretty indeed. And even a bit beautiful. Shaking those girlish thoughts out of her head, Lily went back to focusing on the not tripping over her own two feet. Between laughing with her dancing partner and the gorgeous decorations, Lily was able to ignore the butterflies in her stomach that she swore were a result of this greatly anticipated evening and not her dancing partner.

The scenery was breathtaking, but James Potter's tight throat was on account of his gorgeous dancing partner rather than the Great Hall's decor. He had always admired Lily's beauty ever since she stepped off the train their first year, but tonight she looked different. Older, elegant and all together wonderful. These romantic thoughts were interrupted by a wry, teasing comment.

"Watch it, Potter. If you step on my feet, I'm definitely dancing with Henry Abbott instead," the witch in question joked.

"Me, step on your feet?" James scoffed with mock offense. "What do you think the years of required etiquette lessons were for, Evans?"

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you started to brag about your many years of experience with lavish balls. I'm quite shocked you got through 15 minutes without slipping it in actually."

James smirked and spun Lily in a complicated twist. It had the intended effect: she looked shocked and slightly terrified as he expertly led. To James' amusement, she ended the motion laying dramatically and rather helplessly in his arms. With her pale face flushed, emerald eyes bright, and red curls splayed, she looked strikingly beautiful.

"You were saying, Evans?"

After catching her breath, Lily scrambled upright, an indignant look on her face.

"A showoff on the Quidditch pitch and on the dance floor? I'm surprised those dress robes fit over that big head of yours!"

James simply laughed and grabbed her hand before she could retreat back to the comfort of her seat.

"Oh come on! You promised a dance and I intend to collect. I am a man of my word if nothing else."

Lily reluctantly resumed their steps, but was warier of her partner's leading skills.

"And I knew you were watching me during the Quiddich games. Honestly, if you wanted an autograph you could have just asked," James said with a smirk followed by a confident hair ruffle.

"Ugh! Do you hear the words that come out of your mouth or are you deaf to your own praises after singing them so often?" Lily looked more than a little annoyed. They had slipped back into their old habit of bickering. It was easy, but also exhausting after 7 years.

"I think I bring out the best in you. Honestly, how much wittier you become when I'm around—"

"Potter, do you know why I agreed to dance with you?"

James halted in his repartee. To be honest, he was slightly surprised when Lily had accepted his hand. He had likened it to the Christmas atmosphere or even grandness of the evening. Despite his curiosity, James replied offhandedly, "Because I look so devastatingly handsome in dress robes?"

"_Because_ I thought you were going to be genuine for once! Not Quidditch Captain James Potter or James Potter the Marauder or whatever other facades you adopt on a daily basis."

They had stopped dancing now and Lily was looking into James' hazel eyes as though searching, or rather, expecting something.

"You have been-" she faltered a bit here because honesty with James Potter was always a unique experience. "Well, you've been a really great friend these past few months. Between actually helping with Head duties and listening when I needed advice, I just thought tonight was going to be more of the same." Biting her lip, Lily glanced back up at the tall boy.

James was taken aback and, although he hated to admit it, perhaps a bit sheepish.

"Lily, I'm... You're right, it has been nice these past few months," James agreed. His hand unconsciously made its way back into his messy hair as James glanced down. He wasn't going to apologize, but he decided to make more of an effort to be more truthful-at least with her. Does any personal growth ever not come back to Lily Evans? He grimaced at the idea that he was going soft. Then James had an interesting, yet sobering revelation. Perhaps he wasn't going soft as much as he was growing up. After a thoughtful pause, he met Lily's gaze again and the signature James Potter twinkle was back in his eye.

"How about we just have fun for the rest of tonight and I'll try not to be a prat?"

Lily smiled and sighed. "Yes, please."

"Though I did promise to help Sirius spike the punch later..."

Lily laughed and this time she let James lead her deeper into the dance floor without trepidation.

"I'm just asking you not be a git, not to get a personality replacement. Just warn me before you do, so I don't get Donna accidentally smashed."

"In my experience, when Donna gets smashed it is almost always on purpose."

And so, amongst the twinkling lights and the smooth music, Lily Evans and James James resumed their dance of wits and subtly veiled passion.


End file.
